Heavy Metal International Conference

Portuguese extreme progressive metallers MALEVOLENCE are extremely proud to announce they are the first and onlyPortuguese band to be featured in an overseas conference exhibition about Heavy Metal, masks and face paint taking place in USA.

The inaugural "HEAVY METAL AND POPULAR CULTURE" International conference will take place at Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio April 4-7. It will be the first scholarly conference on Heavy Metal in USA and it’s organized by ISMMS.

Brian Hickam, head of ISMMS had this to say: “I first learned of MALEVOLENCE back in 1997 when a DJ for a college radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania played two songs off DOMINIUM. In late 1999, after I had moved back to Ohio, I saw MARTYRIALIZED in a record store in Cleveland and bought it. I was attracted to the band's extreme melodic groove, distinct vocals, impressive guitar and drumming stylistic changes exposing a very distinct sound and great musicianship. While I was familiar with MALEVOLENCE when I saw the new concept developed for ANTITHETICAL, I was pleased to see the type of image that I'd been looking for. The image was, in fact, different from the other images I had gathered at that point. It's a fantastic example of photography and branding as it shows intensity and originality”.

MALEVOLENCE collectively had this to say about their participation: “We are overwhelmed with the chance given to us, as musicians and regular Portuguese people, to be the ambassadors representing Portugal through some part of its culture and music in such a massive event. This all taking place on the strength of our ANTITHETICAL concept speaks volumes and all this happening in 2013, the year ANTITHETICAL will see its official release, it’s just beyond the initial expectations we had for our 3rd album”.

Metal music and culture scholars from Norway, Germany, Switzerland, the U.K., France, Canada, New Zealand, Finland, Brazil and all over USA, including Puerto Rico, will gather to share theories, increase network and discuss about Heavy Metal Studies.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL (the national newspaper from USA), Blabbermouth, Bravewords and local newspapers are among the massive list of media that is covering the event where between famous scholars and authors will be present: Robert Walser, Deena Weinstein, Laina Dawes, Keith Kahn-Harris, Nial Scott, Steve Waksman, Martin Popoff and Dan Spitz (former guitarist for ANTHRAX).

The organization hopes for this International conference, to raise awareness about metal music studies. This will be the seventh English-language International conference on metal to take place. The first conference was 2008's Heavy Fundamentalisms in Salzburg.

To know everything about the conference check the ISMMS and BGSU official websites.